Peanut-sheller.



desired features of simplicity,

JOHN T. HUSTON, OF HENDERSN,

PEANUT-SI-LELLEE.

Speeiflcafion of Letters Patent.

Patcnted Apr.

Application ed June 8, 1915. Serie-11x70. 31,952.

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HUSTON, a citzen of the United States, residing at Henderson, in the County of Rusk,` State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Peanut-Shellers; and I do lierebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in- `rention, such as Will enable (thers skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the' same. 4

This ini'ention'elates to certain novel and useful improvements in al machine for shelling peanuts, and other nuts having thin, fragile, easily broken shells.

In the present instance it is my purpose to provide a machine Which Will embody the i efiiciency and convenience, and Which, embodying as it dres, but relatively few parts, and these of the simplest construction, may be manufactured and marketed at a relatively lou' cost.

Another Object of lny invention is to provide a machine which may be easily attached to a suitable stand or table, and if lesired, operated by hand for the purpose of breaking and removing the shells of the nuts.

Fulthermore, I proprse to provide a machine Wherein the breaking and removal of the shell is accompl'ished by the contact or rubbing of the nuts against each (ftherin the operation of the machine, so that the shells Will be quickly broken and stripped to perlnit the kernels to fall therefl'om, the particles of the shell and thekernels then passing out thrcugh openings in the foraminous plate fol'ming a part of the machine.

`With the above recited objects and ,Others of a similar nature in View, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arran'gement of parts forth in and falling within the scope of the a ppended cla-ims.

In the accolnpanyin nr drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying my invention. lig. 2 is a central Vertical longitudinal scctional view taken theretlu'oug'h,

the rotatinj shal't and the operating handle thcrcfol' beiiugT shown partially in elcvatiun. Fig. 3 is a view of the casing portion of the machine, u'ith the l"i'alninus plate removed and showing the grooved or corrugated plate.

. in the present instance have shown a hand opcrated machine whcrcin the power shaft is turned 'by means of a handle, but

it is, of course, to he n'nderstohd that in place of this handle, any suit'able form of power device may be used for operating the machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the .numeral l indicates the back of the machine, Which in the Dresent instance is in the frrin of a circnlar disk or piate, preferably of cast metal, the inner face 2 of this plate being provided With radialljv' extending l'ibs or corrugations 3, although it is to be nnderstood that this face of the late may be 'rcnghened in, any manner desired. n the present instance these corrugations or ribs 3 extend from the hub section l of the back plate 1 to the periphery thereof. in the machine shown herein, this rear oi' 'back stationary. and is provided With a circnznferential fiange 5 constituting' the circular Wall of the casing. Preferahly formed integral With and dependinfrom the bottom section of the circular fiange 5, is a clamping arm or standard 6 having its lower end 'ormed With the hifurcated head 'Z adapted to engage With the edge ofa table, stand or the like. T his clamping head i' is provided With4 a .sntahle clalnping scl'eW 8,

Which is provided With the thumb piece 9 by means of Which the screu' may be tightened and lo"`sened in the usual manne. yt Will, of course,` be evident that When the clamping head is engaged `with the edge of the table or stand, the screw mas' be tig'htened to clalnp the machine firnlly in position. Preferably cast or ,otherwise formed integrai With the upper portion of the back of the real' disk l of the machine, is a hop- 'per 10, the frrnt Wall of which is pz-Sferably inclined, as at li. The hfttoln edge of the front* Wall ll of the hopper is conciived' as atl to 'provide for the proper fitting ofthe front piate or disk 13 of the machine. this disk constituting; the front wait of the casing. The disk 13 is provided With a hub secticn 14 adapte l fit on the r-`-tatalle or power shaft 15, this power' shaft extending through the hub 4 of the rear plate or disk i, ant the rear end of the shzlft 15 is threaoed as at l for the reception of the operating handie 17, suitahle nilts 18 securing the handle against accidental detach- Inent.

it Will be noted that While the rear disk or plate 1 is stationary, in the present instance, the front disk or plate 13 being fast accoinpanying With the shaft 15,`\ is adapted to rotate therewith, the hub L of the rear disk Or plate forn'iing a bearing for this shatt 15. Furthermore, this front plate 13 is provided with a Series of slots 19 arranged in circular s aced rows. There may be any nulnb r ot' tiese rows of slots. and lthe slots may be arranged in an)v suita'ble n'ianne' and oi' any approved design. size or charaoter to 'aecolnmodate'the particular nuts intended t be shelled. ln other words, l reserve to inyself the right to use any foraininous or perforated plate. These perforations or openings in the plate 13 are provided for the Purpose ot' allowing the. kernels of the nuts and the particle'' ot' broken Shell sulting from the Shellin;r operation to pass out to the cxterior of the machine` vet the kerneis mav be readily scparated from the 1'artiolesl of shell. iurthmnnire. while have in the present instance shown the corruglated or gfl'ooved disk or plate of the machine zlu .tathmary` and the perforatmi or foraminhu'z; plate or diek as rotatahle, it will he underetvod that this order mav he I'c\`er-lcd7 and it' desircd the corrug'ated or grooved plate mail7 be madeto rotate.l while the foramiuous or per "rated pia te mar he made stationary. t. will also he under- Stood that-although l have shown and descrihed the clainping arm and the 'honper as iormed integral with lthe stationary plate, these parts may he made separate if deired.

From the above deeeriptionv` taken in connection with the acconipani'ing drawin". the. construction and operation ot' :ny improved 'machine will he readily apparent to those skilled in the art;

In order to shell the nuts. it is only necessary to deposit the Same in the machine through the. hoppier lt), and then turn the handle in the usual Inanner. This' will cause the shaft 15, with its plate 13 to revolre, and in the revolution of the plate the Shells o'i" the nuts will be crackei'l and broken' to permit the escapc of the kernels. This crackiug and breaking ot' the shells of the nuts results Jfrom the-ruhhinnl or contart of the nats against each other and against the wall of thel disks, this hreaking operation being facilitated and aseistcd hv thei'att that Una of the walls is eorrugatcd or ribhe to provide a roughened surface, while the Other wall is prorided with slots, the edges or walk:l oi' which slots also assisting in hreakineT the shelle of the nuts. i

Vh" t have herein shown and dem ribed one particular emhodiment of my invention, wish it to be understood that I do not com'ine' myself to all the Dreeise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration. as modification and variation mail' be nlade without departinn' from the Spirit' ot' the invention or exceeding the shope of the appended elailns.

wWhat claim is:-

1. n a nut ehelling machine, a nut receivine' easiug eompl'isingV a Stationarv wall, a shat't extending' therethrough. a rotatable Vallnnounted on the Shaft and rotatable relative to the stationary wall, one oi said walls having a ,Q'l'ooved face. and the other of Said ralls having openings extending thercthrtmgh 'for the escape of material `l`roln the casiug.

n a nut ehelling' machine.l bination with a support, a Stationalflv disk mounted (in the Support and having eorrug'ations tormed on one face thereof. a Shat't ('arrild hy the Htationarv disk, a Set:- ond disk carried bv the shaft and Spaced apart trom the firSt-inentioned disk. said second disk having: a serie; of opii'ningd eX- tending therethroug'h. a tianlre constituting a wall eitenin; between the two disks. and a hopper for Snpplying' the nutS to he shelled to the Space between the two dieks.

3. The combination 'with a support.V a Stationarv oorrugatrd disk integral with the Support and a hopper integral with the StationarvY disk. ot' a rotatahle shatt journaled at the center of the Station-tryv disk, a `fm'znninous disk moulitcd onu one end ot' the shaiit and adapted to be'rotated therewith and to coiperate. with the Stationary,

disk to shell the nuts occupying the space between the dlsks.v and means t'or rotating the shatt.

the com- 4. Ill a nut shelline' machine. a nut re 

